Completers!
Northwest's MI-BEST program has had over 90 Completers, the most for any community college in Mississippi! To be a Completer a student must:

Obtain an HSE (High School Equivalency),

Complete 15 college credit hours,

Earn an industry recognized credential,

Acquire Smart Start certification.

MI-BEST is a project of the Mississippi Community College Board and Northwest mississippi Community College with funding support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and W.E.T. Funds.

Manufacturing Pathway

Students will enroll in industry curriculum and can earn up to 18 college credit hours while working toward the High School Equivalency diploma. Once this step is complete you will be eligible to continue in the program or exit for employment as a Production Assistant with an average salary of $24,000 per year.
Students who choose to continue in the MI-BEST program will earn a Career or Technical certificate with up to 30 credit hours and up to 3 certifications. Once this step is complete you will be eligible for employment as a CNC Operator with an average salary of $32,000 per year.
Students who choose to continue in the MI-BEST program will earn an Associate of Applied Science with up to 60 credit hours and industry recognized certifications. Once this step is complete you will be eligible for employment as a Manufacturing Specialist/Supervisor with an average $45,000 per year.

Health Care Pathway

Students will enroll in the health care assistant program and can earn up to 16 college credit hours while working towards the High School Equivalency diploma. Once this step is complete you will be eligible for employment as a Nursing Assistant with an average salary of $22,800 per year.
Students who choose to continue in the MI-BEST program can earn Career or Technical certificates with programs in Practical Nursing, EMT-Basic or Medical Office Technology. Once this step is complete you will be eligible for employment as a Healthcare Specialist with an average salary of $30,000 per year.
Students who choose to continue in the MI-BEST program will earn an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Office Technology or EMT-Paramedic. Once this step is complete you will be eligible for
employment as a Health Care Specialist/Supervisor with an average $37,000 per year.

Jodi Vaughn’s Road to Success
Jodi Vaughn has overcome many obstacles and persevered to accomplish her dreams. It was our honor to be able to help Jodi through the MI-Best program and the WIOA’s I2S program at Northwest Community College.

Jodi grew up in a broken home and dropped out of school in the 8th grade. She worked various construction jobs trying to make a living. She turned to drugs to help block out the pain of her childhood and was eventually arrested. Jodi served time and it was during her jail stay that she realized she had to turn her life around. Jodi has been drug free for 11 years and her probation officer can’t say enough positive comments about her.

She opened her own business, but soon realized she needed to get an education and work for a company that could provide benefits for her and her sons. Jodi has commented that she has always regretted dropping out of school and not graduating. However, she never thought she would be able to get her high school equivalency. She also knew she couldn’t afford college. Jodi is the primary financial provider for her family.
Jodi came to Adult Basic Education orientation in January of 2017 and was accepted into the MI-Best program. She enrolled in ABE and manufacturing classes. Jodi quickly became a leader among her classmates. They respect her and listen to her. Jodi came early every day to get extra help with her classwork and was always willing to stay late. She missed one day all semester. Her instructors were very impressed with her work ethic and her leadership skills.

Jodi obtained her high school equivalency and will graduate on May 12, 2017. She also completed 15 hours of manufacturing classes, became CPR certified, completed 28 hours of EDGE training, and completed a 10 hour OSHA certification. The semester was not easy for Jodi. She was stressed financially and emotionally. Families First of Mississippi provided a counselor for her to speak with, gas cards to help with her transportation expense, assistance with testing fees, and financial incentives for her accomplishments.

Jodi was recently hired by RCL in Hernando, Mississippi. She was hired full time in an internship program through WIOA. She is making $12 an hour. Her work hours are 7am-5pm, which allows her to take her son to daycare and pick him up. Gary Smith, the vice president of RCL, came to Northwest as a guest speaker for MI-Best. He took Jodi’s resume with him that day and she was interviewed the next week. Due to her skills she was able to demonstrate at the interview, she was offered $2 more an hour than the normal starting wage.
Success Story - View Video

Who's Eligible?

Adults, age 18 and older without a high school diploma and who meet assessment requirements are eligible to enroll in the Adult Education program and college coursework.

Mississippi residents

Students take the Test of Adult Basic Education to qualify for the MI-BEST program. Once the requirements are completed, students will be assigned a MI-BEST navigator.
The MI-BEST navigator will lead you through the process of choosing your best pathway.

After completing MI-BEST students can go on to:

Continue education

Employment

Military

Complete the MI-BEST Career Bridge in one semester, and you'll be ready for the workforce or advanced training.